Covering

ABSTRACT

A new and improved foam-padded cover is disclosed that would surround a standard-size lally column. The cover of the present invention comes in a wide variety of colors and is designed to prevent damage to cars, doors, or anything that may come in contact with a column that would be used with the cover of the present invention. The cover of the present invention would preferably be approximately 8 feet in height and about 11½ inches in width when completely unrolled.

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns that of a new and improvedfoam-padded cover that would surround a standard-size lally column.

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,713, issued to Goodrich, discloses a deviceand method for protecting the end of a wooden utility pole set in theground.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No 4,244,156, issued to Watts, Jr., discloses a tubularplastic shell with an overlapped longitudinal seam and longitudinallyextending interior pockets that form exterior ribs, encircles a woodenpole or piling in an area to be protected.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,875, issued to Doyle, discloses a inventionwhich broadly relates to safety devices and more particularly relates toprotective padding for posts and the like.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention concerns that of a new and improvedfoam-padded cover that would surround a standard-size lally column. Thecover of the present invention comes in a wide variety of colors and isdesigned to prevent damage to cars, doors, or anything that may come incontact with a column that would be used with the cover of the presentinvention. The cover of the present invention would preferably beapproximately 8 feet in height and about 11½ inches in width whencompletely unrolled.

[0006] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of a cover for a standard-size lally column in order that thedetailed description thereof that follows may be better understood andin order that the present contribution to the art may be betterappreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the cover fora standard-size lally column that will be described hereinafter andwhich will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0007] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of thecover for a standard-size lally column in detail, it is to be understoodthat the cover for a standard-size lally column is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and to the arrangements ofthe components set forth in the following description or illustrated inthe drawings. The cover for a standard-size lally column is capable ofother embodiments and being practiced and carried out in various ways.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not beregarded as limiting.

[0008] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that theconception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilizedas a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systemsfor carrying out the several purposes of the present cover for astandard-size lally column. It is important, therefore, that the claimsbe regard as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they donot depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide acover for a standard-size lally column which has all of the advantagesof the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide a coverfor a standard-size lally column which may be easily and efficientlymanufactured and marketed.

[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a coverfor a standard-size lally column which is of durable and reliableconstruction.

[0012] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide acover for a standard-size lally column which is economically affordableand available for relevant purchasing government entities.

[0013] Other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment when considered with theattached drawings and appended claims.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a top view of the present invention.

[0015]FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the present invention inuse on columns.

V. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016]FIG. 1 is a top view of the present invention. Cover 2 can be seenin a flat, laid-out manner. Cover 2 is approximately 8 feet long andabout 11½ inches in width, but can vary or deviate from this figure toappropriately be used with a wide variety of potential columns. Cover 2would have two sides, a first side and a second side, and would have twoedges, a first edge and a second edge. Cover 2 would have a specificthickness of at least one-half (½) inch and would be comprised of adense foam material.

[0017] Cover 2 also has a strip of miniature hooks 4 and a strip ofminiature loops 6, which run lengthwise on the present invention. Thestrip of miniature hooks 4 would run along the first edge on the firstside of cover 2, while the strip of miniature loops 6 would run alongthe second edge on the second side of cover 2. Once cover 2 would beappropriately attached to a lally column, strips 4 and 6 can be attachedto one another so that cover 2 would effectively be attached to thecolumn.

[0018] In various alternative embodiments, other types of fasteningmeans can be used in lieu of Velcro strips 4 and 6. Tape is onealternative that could be used to fasten the two edges of cover 2 toeach other. In the alternative, other types of fasteners could be used,such as a regular sized hook/loop system.

[0019]FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the present invention inuse on columns. Other types of columns, in addition to lally columns,could also be used with cover 2 of the present invention.

[0020] The present invention could be used in a wide variety ofsituations. First, the present invention would be ideal for coveringcolumns in rooms within a house. With this type of use, the cover 2would protect a lally column from direct human or object contact andprotect the surface of the lally column from getting any scratches.

[0021] In addition, the present invention would be ideal for use withposts in baseball dugouts and other potentially hazardous locations.Used in garages, it would help to protect vehicle doors from gettingdents or damaged, which typically happens at times with garages thathave lally columns. The present invention would be easy to install andwould provide a good aesthetic look for a relatively low amount ofmoney. The present invention would be an ideal replacement for carpet,which is frequently used to cover posts or other extending objects.

What I claim as my invention is:
 1. An apparatus for protecting thesurface of a lally column comprising: (a) a cover having a length and awidth, the cover having two sides, a first side and a second side, thecover having two edges, a first edge and a second edge, the cover havinga thickness of at least one-half (½) inch, the cover being fabricatedfrom a dense foam material, whereby the cover would be wrapped around alally column, and (b) fastener means for removably attaching the firstedge of the cover to the second edge of the cover once the cover hasbeen wrapped around a lally column.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1wherein the length of the cover would be approximately eight feet, andfurther wherein the width of the cover would be approximately eleven andone-half inches.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein thefastener means would further comprise: (a) a strip of miniature hooksrunning lengthwise along the first edge on the first side of the coverfor the entire length of the cover, (b) a strip of miniature loopsrunning lengthwise along the second edge on the second side of the coverfor the entire length of the cover, (c) whereby a user would removablyattach the strip of miniature hooks to the strip of miniature loops oncethe cover had been wrapped around a lally column.
 4. An apparatusaccording to claim 2 wherein the fastener means would further comprise:(d) a first strip of tape running lengthwise along the first edge on thefirst side of the cover for the entire length of the cover, (e) a secondstrip of tape running lengthwise along the second edge on the secondside of the cover for the entire length of the cover, (f) whereby a userwould removably attach the first strip of tape to the second strip oftape once the cover had been wrapped around a lally column
 5. Anapparatus for providing safety and for individuals and external objectscomprising: (a) a cover having a length and a width, the cover havingtwo sides, a first side and a second side, the cover having two edges, afirst edge and a second edge, the cover having a thickness of at leastone-half (½) inch, the cover being fabricated from a dense foammaterial, whereby the cover would be wrapped around a lally column, and(b) fastener means for removably attaching the first edge of the coverto the second edge of the cover once the cover has been wrapped around alally column.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the length ofthe cover would be approximately eight feet, and further wherein thewidth of the cover would be approximately eleven and one-half inches. 7.An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the fastener means wouldfurther comprise: (g) a strip of miniature hooks running lengthwisealong the first edge on the first side of the cover for the entirelength of the cover, (h) a strip of miniature loops running lengthwisealong the second edge on the second side of the cover for the entirelength of the cover, (i) whereby a user would removably attach the stripof miniature hooks to the strip of miniature loops once the cover hadbeen wrapped around a lally column.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 6wherein the fastener means would further comprise: (a) a first strip oftape running lengthwise along the first edge on the first side of thecover for the entire length of the cover, (b) a second strip of taperunning lengthwise along the second edge on the second side of the coverfor the entire length of the cover, (c) whereby a user would removablyattach the first strip of tape to the second strip of tape once thecover had been wrapped around a lally column.